Blaze in the cold night
by Destructor642
Summary: Their debut was not easy, but Link and Midna grew closer as time went on. Although, it's hard for the little being to admit that she was very grateful to him. She even felt that she did not deserve his kindness. He thinks otherwise. But like her, he struggles to admit it. But an unpredicted night in a cold and dark cavern will make all the feelings come alive
1. Looking for action

_A/N : First time writing here and have to admit I don't feel really confident about my grammar usage. Don't hesitate to Review though, next chapters are coming soon!_

* * *

 **Chapter 1 : Looking for action**

After warping the cannon to Lake Hylia, Link went to Fyer's cannon-platform to see if the man was able to help him with the recently discovered but well-worn machine.

"Hey buddy! Is that cannon yours ?", questioned the man at Link's sight.

"Yo Fyer, uh yes it is, and I might need your help on it.", said the Hero.

"Heh heh, I never thought you'd get so interested in cannons that you'd try to build your own. Anyway, let's take a look at what you have done."

Pleased with the fact that Fyer gave him an excuse for the origin of his cannon, Link led him to where the machine belonged. Taking a quick look at it, Fyer showed his disappointment with a long sigh.

"This thing is a real mess, I have no idea about what you were trying with it, but your cannon won't work. Listen, I suppose I can fix it for you, that is...if you can pay me 300 rupees...in advance.", said Fyer with a slight smile.

"300 rupees ?! Damn man that's a lot, that's basically the content of my purse! Huh, alright here you are.", said Link, knowing that it was for the well of the quest.

"Great! Because it's early in the afternoon I guess I can start right away. From what I have seen it should be done in 3 days. Until then have a good day !", said Fyer as he walked away to take his tools and start the job.

Link couldn't share the man's enthusiasm as he watched him walk away. Not only he just lost all his money, but waiting 3 days won't be easy, not that he complained to have some free time, but there was nothing special to do that could help their quest. Next mirror piece was in the heavens, that's all, no other way outside of waiting for the cannon to be fix. Moving away from the cannon area, Midna popped out of Link's shadow, sure that the area was clear, and released a long and sigh.

"Well, for once waiting isn't a bad idea to be honest. Resting was impossible for the last 2 weeks, and it has been pretty intense lately, so these 3 days will be a good time for you to catch your breath.", said the Twili, flying at the same height than Link's face.

"I'm surprised, you usually are the one who isn't happy when we lose time. Although it's not our fault this time.", said the boy.

"OUR fault ?! You mean YOUR fault. I'm not the one in need of breaks wolfy.", said Midna with a mischievous grin.

"Sorry to be the one who swings the sword and carry the other on my back.", frowned Link, not really happy about her companion's teasing manners. He was used to it but at some points, it became really annoying.

"Good, because we have some time to spend and that you, apparently, aren't tired, let's do something useful. Your friends at the bar were speaking about a Bokolin camp that started to grow in Lower Eldin province if I remember correctly."

"Yes, from their descriptions it should be pretty similar to the one we had to go through in Gerudo Desert, but smaller, fortunately. They could become a serious threat to any village nearby, not to mention that Kakariko village is right at the corner. With what happened to my native village in mind, I don't feel like letting this happen twice. Want to take care of it ?", he asked. The devilish grin spawning on Midna's face immediately told him what the Twili had in mind.

"I just can't wait to see that terrified look on their faces when we will turn this camp upside down.", she confidently said.


	2. Spending Time

_A/N : Took me some time to finish this one, although it was more by laziness than anything else I admit. This chapter is more oriented on an "action" side than the others will be but I'm glad about the outcome. Please review to tell me if you enjoyed it and have any suggestions or (constructed and legit) criticism about my writing style (not about the story please, I already have it in my head, just have to write it now). Anyway here is chapter 2. Enjoy! :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 2 : Spending time**

It was past midnight, the full moon gave enough light for the duo to have a clear shot at the objective, not that the campfires were useless, but they still needed an overall vision. Watching from distance, Link tried to find an effective way to take the site. He could count around thirty enemies from where he stood. It wasn't big enough to scare him but he judged that following a plan should be a safer idea.

"See these barrels? I bet to find ale in them. If I can shoot a bomb arrow on them, we'll rain fire them. With the panic they'll be in we will just have to pick them one by one when they try to run away. What do you think ?", asked the Hero to her companion.

"How about that : we keep the first step, with the bomb arrow and all, but instead of waiting outside, we run into this hellfire and pick them one by one from here? Sounds more epic to fight into the flames than out. At least if these idiots focus on us instead of leaving, none of them will escape alive and cause problems later.", replied Midna.

"Huh, strategy has never been your strong suit.", was Link's answer, definitely not convinced. It was right to say that Midna was not really the kind to think when there was no need to, especially against such a weak opposition as Bokolins, so he knew she would try everything just to have fun, not that he was in a position to change anything.

"I guess there is no way I can change your mind.", continued Link. "Little body, little brain, am I wron... OUCH! Hey that hurts !". She just slapped him on the back of his head, a way to punish him for his joke.

"You really deserved that one though. You know that I hate when you mention my appearance.", said Midna, frowning to him.

"If only I had the right to punch you everytime you say something rude to me it might be recognized as torture considering how much you insult me."

"Try to hit me and I break your arms, and that would be sad, we still need them. Come on, take your bow and get your aim ready, it's quite a shot to hit. Time to get some action.", concluded Midna before hiding back into Link's shadow. He made no more comments, as he readied his bow and bomb arrows. Although he was quite annoyed by Midna's violent gesture, he could not help but laugh at it. Her reaction only proved that she was not in control anymore, a situation that had been the standard way for the pair for a long time.

Midna was right on something, it was quite a shot to hit, but Link felt no pressure at all. Hiding safely behind a tree near the camp, he took his time to aim at his target. When he was sure of his shot, he lighted the fuse of the bomb attached to the arrow, and released the rope, propelling the projectile at an insane speed. Both of Link's accuracy and predictions were on point : as soon as the bomb exploded against the containers, fire started to rain, igniting wooden structures nearby and sending all the Bokolins in a panic state. Sensing his opportunity to strike, he tore into the camp, letting his presence being known by the occupation. Suddenly, all the Bokolins focused their attention on Link.

The warrior was surrounded but did not panic as he waited for his enemies to do the first move. Three creatures ran in his direction, each raising its own wooden mass. Link performed a perfect spin attack to knock all three of them out which allowed him some space. Link was brave, but not stupid, and understood that he should use the chaotic field to his advantage instead of fighting them all at the same time. He ran through the gap he created by spreading the Bokolins thanks to his past move and started a crazy course in the campground, followed by the monsters. But it was totally part of the plan. This action allowed him to spread the freaks even more, giving him an opportunity to isolate them one by one as Midna suggested, not to mention that the fire and the smoke made the situation a nightmare for the Bokolins. They had completely lost track of Link. It was almost as if he was playing hide and seek, all the time he spent with the kids back in Ordon seemed to not be a waste of time after all. But right now, instead of playing a fun game with children, he was literally toying with his enemies, potentially waiting at every corner, behind any structure getting consumed by the flames.

Death could come from everywhere. Walking alone is this mess was suicide, but that is what the Bokolins did, and Link didn't waste a second to make them pay for their error. Moving silently through the rubble, he managed to kill one beast, stabbing him right in his heart. Then another one, inflicting him a deadly cut on the torso. And another one, and another one, and another one... Link was slowly but surely dealing with all his opponents in a subtle but deadly way that caused all the Bokolins to stop their movements everytime they listened to the screams of their comrades being assassinated by the warrior. Fear ran through their bodies, but they had a chance to avenge their fallen friends.  
Indeed, despite all the places to his disposal to hide, Link suddenly found himself in an open area with death staring at him. He was surrounded by what was left of the monsters group, back turned to a pile of blazing wood. He thought about using the same method than before, but this time they all had bows, pointed in his direction, arrows on the edge. His shield will not be enough, and he was conscious of it. Without losing a second he turned and jumped through the fire in a desperate attempt to protect himself as the Bokoling released their projectiles.

The arrows landed but by the sound of the impact, they did not reach their target, there was also no screams of pain coming from the direction the warrior jumped into. The creatures waited there a few moments, an anxious silence settled on the camp. They came to the conclusion that they managed to eliminate the one that ruined their installation. But as soon as all turned around, a menacing growl caught their attention. They turned their attention back to the woodpile where Link stood previously and as they approached, the growl became more and more audible and powerful, surely something was hiding behind it and they wanted to find what. They did not have time to regret this curiosity.

In the blink of an eye, they saw a form jump through the flames and suddenly occupied the same location as the hero was before. The creatures' eyes widen at what they saw : instead of the Hylian, a beast stood on all four paws in front of them with a menacing glare on its face, piercing the monsters' souls with his sapphire eyes, also with a relatively strange but all too threatening imp on his back. Link was now back turned to the fire once again in his wolf form, ready to turn the situation around with Midna on her usual spot when Link is a wolf. Although, she did not stay there for too long.

Taking advantage of the totally disoriented state the Bokolins were in, Midna jumped from Link's back and immediately cast a spell towards the enemies that made them all lose their balance, making them unable to attack. This is where Link started his slaughter. He dashed onto every monster, inflicting deadly bites and cutting their throats with his sharp fangs. Midna was having her own success in dealing with the monsters as she threw multiple magic blasts, each powerful enough to kill them on the spot if it made direct contact, and oh they now know that she is as deadly accurate than her companion with his own bow, except this time she used her hands to perform magic.  
All the Bokolins were falling one after the other and in no more than thirty seconds, none of them survived from the assault of the all mighty duo that was the Hero chosen by the Goddesses and his Twili ally. After Midna executed the last Bokolin, silence fell on the camp. Nothing was left but a wolf and an imp in the middle of burning structures, the full moon over them. A sense of pride invaded the two heroes hearts but also a sensation of power. Link hopped on a corpse and released a powerful howl, warning any spirit around of his abilities and will to put an end to whoever could be a threat for the kingdom of Hyrule.

Watching Link's celebration, Midna stood there as the wolf continued to howl, flames enlightening his animal shape, the moon shining behind him. _'I have to be honest, I am glad that he is on my_ side, _because this is a terrifying picture'_ , she thought. Indeed, Link was a very respectful and friendly person, but only SHE knew that this wolf was the Ordonian boy. No one has ever witnessed a fully enraged Link in his more bestial aspects. As she looked at him as a wolf, she had to admit it : this wolf, Link, looked dangerous, powerful, but also astonishing, even... majestic.


	3. Shelter

_A/N : I hope you'll enjoy this chapter, nothing much going on but I feel like it's the one I had the most troubles with. It's more of a transition to prepare for the next chapter so I apologize if you find it quite empty. Don't hesitate to review though!_

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 **Chapter 3 : Shelter**

Filled with pride by his actions, Link went down his throne and walked out of the camp, followed closely by Midna. When they were outside, they took a moment to contemplate their _work_. Most of the wooden structures had turned into ashes and fire slowly started to extinguish. Approaching her wolf from the side, Midna gave Link a few scratches behind the ears, a way to reward him for his job. A gesture that any canine would enjoy, and despite Link primarily being a Hylian, he was no exception when he was wearing the fur and running on paws. They remained there a minute, enjoying the moment. With Midna giving an end to the pleasure, Link turned his head toward his friend and licked her cheek.

"YUCK! Get away from me you stupid puppy !", screamed Midna, actually giggling all along. Laying her hand over Link's forehead, she extracted the shadow crystal from his body and in a moment, he was back to his normal self.

"You really have to stop with that because someday I'll rip your tongue out of that mouth of yours and throw it as we throw sticks to a dog.", she said with a diabolic smile. Link could only laugh at her comment.

"Eh, I only try to play my character at my best. Would you rather have a lick on your cheek or my fangs on your hands?"

"Very poetic but I want nothing of that, thank you. You know the risks and consequences of such actions don't you?"

"Yeah, I can imagine."

The two were so occupied by joking with each other that they did not instantly react when an immediate and harsh rain settled above them.

"Crap, let's not wait here, I hate rain !", said Midna a little bit surprised by the unexpected change of weather. She and Link quickly scanned their surroundings to find a potential cover. But they were in the middle of nowhere, finding a decent place to get into cover seemed impossible.

"Look!", said Link, pointing to a hilltop. "Looks like it's our best chance for now so we should not waste a second!". And with that, he started to run towards...well Midna did not know what actually.

"Wait where are you going don't let me here! Link, stop!", she yelled at him, mad that he did not let her the time to hide in his shadow, and now she was getting hit by the rain, surely one of the things that she disliked the most.

She quickly caught up with Link because she could hover while the boy had to climb the hill at foot which was a little bit harder due to the water. Link ran as fast as his legs allowed him and entered what seemed to be a cave as the rain grew stronger. Midna followed, wondering how he managed to spot the enter in the obscurity of the night. They were both really soaked, and they surely needed some heat.

"It's so freezing cold in here.", said the Twili while wrapping her arms around her body.

"We have to create a fire, help me to find flammable material, leaves, wood, anything.", said Link, starting his researches. Midna picked up the pace and they started to realize this cave was more a web of multiple grottos. Luckily enough, they found some sticks and dry leaves in their fortune shelter. After gathering them all, Link used his lantern to light them up. It was not that big of a fire but it was enough to create a warm atmosphere to dry them and protect from the night coldness.

Midna immediately lay in front of the growing fire, trying to catch as much warmth as possible. She was shivering hard and sensing the heat warming her entire body made her feel so much better in a minute. Link on his side took a moment to check the area and secure it. After his quick inspection, no creatures were to be found. He decided to make a barrier to block the entry of the cave, just in case some monsters were still roaming around even under the heavy rain. Taking some rocks, he put stone after stone and obstructed the little tunnel that provided them access to the cave.

Satisfied with his work, he dropped his equipment in a corner and sat down in front of the fire, putting his hands over it to catch some heat. The past few weeks, not to mention the fight he just had really weakened him and he surely was in need of rest. He knew he had only three days before they could use the cannon and go chase the last mirror piece. Not rest, or at least get some sleep would be a big mistake. Not only he was getting more and more tired, he also assumed that Midna would not let him have some more time for himself.

 _'In a sense she is right. This adventure had always been a run, since the very beginning. We've got to deliver Zelda and take down Zant. If the shadow creatures really are inhabitants of the Twilight Realm, who knows how many I'll have to kill again before we can deliver them, or at least break the curse that is on them.'_

The shadow creatures. At the start, Link slew them as any other enemy. But since Midna explained to him where she was really coming from, and what happened to her people, he felt saddened every time he had to confront them. In his mind, they were now innocent people that were transformed by a madman who used them as soldiers. They were not responsible for this tragedy and since then, Link has not been able to stop wondering how Midna manages to deal with that situation.

 _'I don't even know if I would be able to kill my own people to protect myself. Well... I guess so, but, what if the next creature that attacks us is a person that I know and got actually changed? These shadow monsters look all the same, but what if they didn't? What if Midna actually recognizes someone from her world? It must be so painful for her...'_ , Link though, releasing a very long sigh, watching the little being across the fire.

Midna looked really tired too, her back now leaning against the wall of the cave. Link decided that it was time to sleep, though he only realized at this moment that it would have to be in this specific grotto.

"It seems like we will sleep here, we are pretty far from any habitations so this is our only refuge against the rain from now on.", said Link, quite frustrated by the situation. Already half asleep, Midna opened her eyes and without a word, she summoned two blankets with her magic, a very useful ability to carry Link's equipment. She handed one to her friend, keeping the smallest for herself considering she was much slimmer than Link.

They both went into a corner of the cavern and lied down, each with their own cover, trying to get as much comfort they could possibly find. Without another word, they went to sleep. A much-deserved and necessary rest for them.


	4. Confused minds

_A/N : The longest chapter of this fanfiction. Chapter 5 is not finished yet but I guess it will be hard for me to do longer than that. I loved writing it and it's where the story takes all its importance at least in my opinion. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did in writing it!_

 _PS : Chapter 5 will be the conclusion of the story, in case you wonder. Consider yourself as lucky, when I started this project it was supposed to be a 2 chapters story :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 4 : Confused minds**

The rain was still hitting strong as night went on, but it did not seem to bother Link at all. His recent adventures had exhausted him, and this night was his first real break from the action. Sleep came instantly for the boy in green and he was probably dreaming about a softer bed at this point. Unfortunately, it was hard to tell the same for his Twili companion.

Midna was still shivering despite being well wrapped in her blanket. Their fire died pretty quickly but she never thought that the heat would disappear so suddenly. Not only she was cold, but also found it hard to stay cool and clear her mind, there was so much going on in her head at the moment : what should they do to prepare their trip in the heavens where they were supposed to find the last mirror piece? What threats could they confront? Should she give Link more time to recover?

 _'Link...'_ she thought, as she turned towards the dark shape of her friend, barely visible in their little cavern.

She has been very preoccupied with Link lately. Not for him... mostly for her, and her behavior towards him. She remembered the first time they _teamed_ if we can even call it like that. She forced him to work for her, she was the slave driver, and he literally was her slave, doing the dirty work and receiving insults from his master if the job was not done well.

Despite her negative attitude, he held strong, never complained, or almost, and saved her in her desperate hour. She could remember every detail of that atrocious night.

Closing her eyes, she brought back all of her most painful memories.

* * *

 _After being consumed by Lanayru's light, she fainted, only to wake up on Link's back, near Castle Town. Her entire body was frozen, but her muscles were burning and pain filled her constantly. Rain started to fall, it was loud in her ears and despite her tissues being internally ignited due to her wounds, the heavy water made it even worse. She was slowly slipping away from life. Her hands clenched Link's fur, but even without him moving, she found it hard to keep her hands closed._

 _"P-Please...Link. Find Princess Zelda. Please...H-Hurry...", she said in a small and hopeless voice. She crucially needed help and for all the people she knew, Zelda was the only one who could aid them. But Link did not move. And she understood. Indeed...why would he help her? She was confronting the harsh_ _reality_ : _she has never been in control of anything, especially not him._

 _Since the beginning Link was acting on his own and had to team with her through it all because he needed her abilities as much as she needed him. But now he finally had the opportunity to break the chains that the imp had on him, he had a chance to let his will guide him with no one to criticise him. At this very moment, her heart shattered. She felt so weak, so miserable, so worthless._

 _Coming to that revelation, she lost all optimism, only waiting for the wolf to shake his back and let her slip from it and abandon her, letting her die on the spot, her small and cold half dead body onto the grass of Hyrule Field, drowning under the rain and her own tears. Closing her eyes, she opened her hands, losing her hold on his fur, accepting that she was not stronger than him and that he earned his freedom, a freedom she had no right to take in the first place._

 _She started to let death take her away from a world she was not even from, her heart heavy and full of regrets, sad because of her attitude towards Link, sad because of her failure to freed her people from Zant's claws. She stopped breathing, letting her heartbeat decrease until it would completely stop._

 _But then, she felt like moving, but not on her own. Link was still carrying her. The wolf began to walk, then run, then dash through the field. Midna was caught off guard but despite her health, she still managed to find balance on Link's back, clenching his body once again. She began to breathe again and opened her eyes._

 _She could not believe what was happening._ _Link was indeed seeking for help, running towards the castle. She wondered if it was her current state that made her feel that but, she had never seen him run that quickly. He seemed determined, confronting every obstacle and braving the elements. Any enemy who dared stand in his way would have its throat sectioned with a violence he had never manifest._

 _Sometimes he would stop to catch his breath, turning his head while panting heavily to check if Midna was still alive. Their eyes met, filled with fear and despair. But Link knew it was not over. If Midna's heart was still beating, so his. All hopes were not lost and he continued his race, the castle as the finish line._

 _'He is actually trying to save me. Whatever are the reasons, I need to stay alive until he reaches her. He will do it. I have to hold on. Just a little bit longer...'_

* * *

To her knowledge, it was the first time she witnessed someone that preoccupied with the life of another person. Only this time it was much more particular simply because, she was the one in need. Before this moment, she usually reminded Link that if it was not for her, he would still be locked up in his cell beneath Hyrule Castle. Although this time it was not about a question of liberty, it was about a life. Her own life was in play, and Link did not hesitate a second to rescue her.

 _'It was just that he needed my help, otherwise, he would have let me die. He let Zelda save me for the same reasons that I delivered him :_ _because we need each other to save our respective worlds from a common enemy, that's all'_ , she told herself, feeling sad from her own thoughts.

She knew that Link needed her and that she needed him. But was it all because of that? In reality, she could not convince herself otherwise. Her rude manners towards her little wolf, as she liked to call him, had probably been enough to make her a monster in Link's mind, even if she became closer and friendly after Zant almost killed her. There was no way the hero could not hold a grudge against her, and she was devastated because of it. He was the only thing she had in Hyrule. On the one hand, assuming she was nothing more than his partner was as heartbreaking as losing him, but on the other hand, she felt that it was all her fault and that she deserved it.

Midna sat up and created a tiny orb of energy within her palms, powerful enough to generate a little light that let her take a look at her surroundings. Truly there was nothing much to see, outside of... him.

Her gaze fell on the hero's face, who was calmly sleeping, his breath almost soothing in her hears. He seemed so in peace, the storm outside was still raging strong with its unfinishable rain and heavy gusty winds, but nothing could wake him up, his sleep looked deeper than it has ever been before.

"How lucky you are dear", she whispered as a slender smile settled on her lips. She was still very cold, so she decided to get up and she made her way over Link. There was an empty space under the boy's duvet, large enough for her to sit in.

 _'Screw everything. Seeing how he is sleeping, he won't wake up before me.'_ , said the Twili to herself.

After removing the Fused Shadow she used as a helmet, fully freeing her huge flame hair, she crawled under her friend's blanket. There was actually less space compared to what she expected and so she almost was at Link's contact, a situation she found a little bit awkward, but this feeling quickly evaded her mind when she realized how better she felt. Cold was nothing else but a poor concept as she allowed Link's body heat to captured her totally. She snuggled against his torso, listening to his heartbeat, she found it relaxing.

After overcoming so many fights, monsters, dungeons and mortal traps, it was the first time she considered experiencing real peace. She also had never felt so safe in her life, even the days back in the Palace of Twilight were not days of tranquillity. Her early dark thoughts had disappeared. Her spirit, free of any fear. She was just enjoying the moment, bathed in pure warm, near to her hero. No matter how hard was the storm outside, she was good and safe in her little world inside. Now that everything within herself was clean, her eyes started to close instinctively and finally, sleep came.

An hour or two passed. As the two were enjoying their respective night, the weather was not getting better as time went on, and thunder invited itself to the party. Eventually, a thunderbolt crashed nearby the duo's location, only a few hundred meters away from the grotto. The sound of the impact was huge, and both sleepers literally jumped on the spot, alerted by the sound, taking them out of their slumber. It took them a couple of seconds to recover from the shock, only to be replaced by another one : realizing how close to each other they were. Link took his lantern near him and lighted it up to illuminate the cavern.

No words were spoken as they both sat up and locked their gaze in the eyes of the other. Link was confused, wondering what her companion was doing under his duvet, he had no remembrance of it before starting to sleep. Midna on her side was blushing heavily, embarrassed and ashamed of the reasons that led her to this decision. She did not want to explain to him why she decided to sleep with him because she thought that it would make her a weak person but quickly realized it will seem even more awkward if she does not explain herself about her behavior, but she did not found the courage to speak, and there was no way to escape the situation. She was just watching him, mouth half opened as if her words were only silence.

Instead of making any comment about the situation, Link just lied down again and left a long sigh, then spoke : "Goddesses, I was not ready for that." Midna was still stock in her previous position, shock still on her face, but also with confusion in her mind. Why did he make no comments, or even asking a question, she wondered. A situation that apparently amused the hero because he started to laugh, but in a soft and innocent manner as a grin illuminated his face. Was he making fun of her? Midna could not know.

"Eh Midna, stop staring at me and go back to sleep.", he said, still with the same smile. She did not say a word as she listened to his words and lied down once again, pulling the blanket back on her body. It took her some time to compose herself and gather her thoughts. Apparently, her presence was not a big deal for Link. She felt a huge relief through her body.

Tilting her head on her right side, she watched him as he was contemplating the irregular ceiling of the grotto. Sensing her gaze on him, he twisted his head to the left side, locking her eyes with his. Their faces were both neutral, but emotions were flooding. Diving into her ruby irises, he saw multiple things that seemed to be unusual for the little being, as tranquillity or appeasement. Internal peace and Midna were two things that could not get along, at least that's what he was witnessing during their adventure. Tonight though, something was different, especially in the way she was looking at him. It was soft and touching, he even found her cute in her own way.

"What's in your mind ?", asked Link, breaking the silence. He considered it as a bad move, seeing her face troubling as if he had brutally extract her from a dream. Her inner peace was already gone and so she started to watch everywhere except where her partner was, avoiding visual contact. A behavior that was very unlikely from Midna and it took only a second for Link to notice it. She was panicking, hyperventilating as if death was coming for her without ways to dodge it. The boy gently put a hand on her arm and tried to reassure her.

"Hey Midna! Calm down, it's me Link. You recognize me and you know where you are right ?". She quickly nodded, still trembling a little bit but at least she was reacting his voice. Accepting Link's touch, Midna started to relax a bit.

"I have nothing particular in mind.", she said, knowing that this lie was too obvious for Link to believe it. He simply let the lie slip through and started to caress her arm, hoping to ease her, and it worked. She had to be honest with herself, Midna really liked it. Not only the contact calmed her because of how tender the gesture was, she also found it comforting, it made her close her eyes, ready to finish her night. But Link was still worried, he knew the Twili enough to be sure that something was bothering her. He was also convinced that, in one way or another, this subject concerned him and he wanted to find what it was.

He stopped his movement, causing the imp's eyes to open slightly and look into his own.

"Midna, please, have I done something wrong?", he whispered. She shook her head, showing her disagreement.

"No Link, you did nothing wrong, that's the thing. You have never done something wrong with me.", she said in return.

"Then what is the problem? You can't deny that something is in your head. I know that you have your secrets too, but at some point, you just can't hide them anymore. So please speak to me.", he said.

"Link you don't get it. It's not about my personal life or my secrets.", Midna whispered.

"Then what is it? Something is troubling you and by the looks of things, it might be pretty important isn't it? Please tell me.", said Link. While worry escorted Midna's voice, frustration became noticeable in Link's, so she decided to tell him. Actually, he clearly was not ready for it, and, at the exact moment he heard it, it was like time completely stopped.

"How can you still care for me?"


	5. Warming contact

_A/N : Here we are, the conclusion of Blaze in the cold night. Took me some time to complete it but I'm proud, looks really decent for a first fanfiction. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I loved working on it and that reading its lines gave you a bit of happiness. I might start working on another project soon, so stay tuned. Thank you :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 5 : Warming contact**

Her words echoed in his head and ripped his heart. He was not expecting this kind of question. He tried to assemble an answer but was not able to find any as the only sound to be heard was a heavy and painful silence.

How could such a simple question, so easily, impact his very being? The question was not that hard, nor was the answer.

He knew the answer. He knew how and why, he always had. It was not only by the necessity of her powers. It has been for a time, but not anymore. He went over this. But he has never clearly formulated it, not to Midna or anyone else but himself. And now he was facing something that sounded inadmissible : he had grown fond of her.

That imp, this little being from a different world, who usually hides in his shadow, always teasing him to no end, she became his closest friend. "Friend" was not even enough to describe how he felt towards her. Although he is the bearer of the Triforce of Courage, he did not find enough confidence to admit it directly to her and only managed to create some defense by turning the question around.

"Why wouldn't I care for you ?", he asked nonchalantly. Midna clearly identified that it was not the only thing Link had to answer her question.

 _'Is he lying? Is he trying to hide the truth without directly telling me that he actually does not care?'_ , she wondered. _'No. It can't be that. You can't be that nice with someone like me by playing comedy, can you?'_

Midna was right about that. It was not about some unknown person that you have to be nice with just to pretend to be respectful. It was about his closest companion. She knew that if he really cared for her, he had reasons, or at least intentions. Not satisfied with his simplistic defensive answer, she decided to take things to the next level and spilled everything she had on her heavy heart.

"You want to know why? Alright, let me do a little list of every reason that makes me a heinous person", she said taking a serious, even slightly angry tone. "I have been insolent with you many times, I used to release my hate and even sometimes my violence on you. The way I have been acting with you is wrong, the way I treated you is wrong. I thought I could just use you as I wanted, you were nothing else but a tool for me, something that I just dragged out of dirt and use its potential before throwing it into a corner and pretend I never knew it. I treated you like trash and had the guts to call you my slave and made you do things I should have done by myself!", she almost screamed.

She was very upset, but only about herself. They were still laying down, gaze locked. Link was kinda shocked by her sudden revelations. Never had he imagine that Midna could regret the things she did to him. In his heart, what happened between the two was part of the past now, he had moved on. Yes, he hated her for her behavior at first, but could he really stay angry at her after every obstacle they overcame and troubles they went through? No way. He witnessed her evolve, becoming more and more natural. She was expressing emotions, feelings. The monstrous picture of Midna he painted to himself was no more.

She continued : "The thing that bothers me is that...you have never, or almost never shown any signs of disobedience during that time. And now that we are, I want to say 'in good terms', it surprises me that you are still that careful and gentle with me.", she said in a sad tone, completely contrasting with her previous anger.

Link was absolutely mute, absorbing it all. It was almost unreal to think that these specific things occupied her mind to a point that it makes her doubt his confidence and his honesty for her. She knew she could trust him to protect her, but she doubted his behavior as if he was faking it.

"The thing is that I don't feel deserving of your sympathy.", she said sadly.

"Midna stop, stop it now!", Link replied urgently. He sounded like he was about to cry, he himself felt that tears were about to pop in his eyes. Sitting up, he took a deep breath and released it slowly, burying his face in his hands. She was hurting him very badly. He was not insulted, but it was still unpleasant. It was the first time she confessed to him like that. Never had she shown this much fragility. So why was it hurting? He should feel proud and happy, but he was not. Facing her, he stared into her ruby eyes.

"Midna why are you telling me all of this right now? Like, how did it came up?", Link asked.

"I don't really know. I was thinking about all of this stuff when we went to sleep and it stuck to my mind. It has actually been for a while now. Pretty much since you saved me from Zant.", she said while sitting too. Link understood the reasons that made her feel this way and why the incident with Zant intensified it. Though he denied any implication in her rescue.

"Midna I'm not the one who gave my life to save you.", he simply said.

"Do you really think Zelda would have saved me if it was not for you leading me to her?", she replied immediately. Link was silent, knowing that she was right about it. Indeed, he played a role in the story. She continued : "I'll be eternally grateful to Zelda, but you saved me as much as she did. I owe you my life Link. I promised that I'll give back to the princess what she gave me. But you, I still have not shown any kind of gratitude outside of words. Though you remain kind-hearted to me. You showed it again tonight, I think it's what made it all come alive. I...I had to express what my heart contained and was unspoken.", she said.

Lowering her head, Midna felt somewhat relieved but still miserable and shameful. Sadness was now taking over and tears formed in her eyes and slowly rolled on her cheeks. She was now sobbing quietly. Link watched her with equal sorrow. Her pain was his.

The boy decided to put his arms around her form and hugged her. Still crying, Midna was quite surprised by the movement but she returned it with a lot of affection, throwing her arms around his neck, her head resting on his shoulder, now sobbing harder. Link was gently cradling her back, letting her clear all the pain she did accumulate over time. She looked inconsolable. _'Saying what I really feel might be the best option to comfort her then.'_ , he thought. So he did.

"I don't hate you Midna, and I trust you to no end.", he whispered in her ear. "What occurred when we first met does not matter anymore. No matter who you were, no matter what you have done, what I'm looking at is who you are now. And you are Midna, the one who fights, laughs, bleeds, cries by my side. I don't plan on changing that, you'll stay with me through it all. I'll never give up on you, do you hear me?", he asked, letting her face go off his shoulder. She looked at him and nodded slowly. Her face was wet with tears, so Link lightly put his hand on her cheek and swiped them away with his thumb. They locked eyes contact and simply took the time to enjoy each others proximity. They waited like this for a minute before Link broke the silence.

"You know, you often complain about your appearance, but I feel like I became fond of it. It escorts your personality.", he said with a slight smile. Midna giggled at his comment and smiled too but felt a bit unpleased by his remark.

"You know that I hate when you mention my appearance. Back in my world, people praised me for my looks. _"A_ beauty _"_ they said. Now I'm nothing.", she said disappointedly.

"Well if you had fans back where you are from, be happy to have one right in front of you. And one who appreciates you for who you are, and not what you look.", he said with a grin. "That's the point I wanted to come to. When I look into those eyes, I don't see the imp."

"What do you see then, Hero?", she whispered.

"I...am not quite sure precisely. But I see a woman. A somewhat powerful, but also caring and...indeed...very beautiful woman."

Midna's eyes opened more at this comment and she let out a small surprised sound escape her lips. She felt like her heart would explode with the amount of joy it produced. She closed her eyes and allowed her forehead to fall on his, her arms still around his neck. _'If I was in my true form...that would be exactly how I want you to see me, Link.'_ , she thought.

They kept this position for a moment, now slowly going from left to right simultaneously as if they were nursing a baby, their foreheads still connected. They were so close to each other. A day before they would have found this situation bizarre, even embarrassing but tonight was totally different. They could not get enough of each others presence, they both knew that breaking contact would be a big mistake.

"It's the first time I have seen you doubting yourself. Your self-confidence seemed completely gone.", said Link taking his head off hers.

"Well...before meeting you I needed to be self-confident considering I couldn't trust anyone, I was lonely. But now I know that if I don't feel good, there will always be someone to boost me a little bit, right?", she said with a smile.

"Yeah, count on me for that.", answered the light dweller with his signature grin, a one Midna became way too accustomed to, she loved it. Every time Link made this smile, it a was a sign of good fortune. Tonight was no exception. She finally made peace with herself, free of any doubt or anguish that haunted her soul. It was her time to smile. Not the impish smirk she used to do, it was a really basic smile, but the most honest and happy smile she ever made.

Link broke the embrace and laid down again, never taking his eyes off Midna, he was literally stunned by her features. The slight light created by the lantern illumined her face perfectly, making her eyes shine and transformed her long red hair in a firestorm he would jump into every single day of the week. He knew that it was big considering Midna used it to fight sometimes by turning it into a large hand, but now that he looked at it in its natural state, it looked like the thing could completely cover its owner. He did not mind that Midna decided to use his blanket rather than her hair though. Her action formed a small blaze in the cold night. That blaze quickly turned into a fire and grown to be the one burning in their hearts, feelings acting as fuel. Link felt it and really started to wonder if it was really wise to call it "friendship".

Midna stared back at him. She recognized the look in his eyes, reading Link's emotions through them. She felt that same sensation building within her heart. She realized it was not friendship, it was much more than that but forbid herself to think about her companion this way. _'There is no need to push things right now, we still have a quest to finish. We'll have plenty of time for ourselves after finishing it all.'_ , she thought.

Midna joined Link and pulled the sheets back over them. She snuggled again against him, hiding her head into his neck, recovering the same position she previously had. Link felt her hair tickle his skin but did not protest, it felt sweet.

"We made a long distance to come to this point didn't we?", whispered the imp. Link could only show his agreement by chuckling a bit and answered.

"The beginning was rough but, look where it led us. We came to a point where we need each other to stay focus and on the right path.", said the boy.

"It's not only about that Link. To be honest...it came to a point where I feel like...we are connected. Now I actually feel like I need you to exist. Without you I'm nothing. So please...promise me that you won't put yourself in really dangerous situations where I would not be able to provide cover.", said Midna on a worried tone.

Link could not prevent himself from laughing a bit. He knew she was being serious but was still amused by her comment. To answer her concern, he took her hand in his and intertwined their fingers and put his other arm over her shoulder, making a perfect embrace to finish the night.

"You know that I won't be able to promise such a thing. But have no fear, my dear Midna, you won't lose me.", he said fondly. Happiness filled his heart. Knowing that the person he cared the most about was actually as caring with him, he would have never imagined that. The beauty of this moment was incomparable to anything he experienced in the past, and he was sharing it with her...just with her. Content about how the events of tonight turned, he closed his eyes and his muscles relaxed, ready to go back to sleep, but never letting go of the embrace he had on his beautiful imp.

Midna too was experiencing a kind of bliss unknown to her memory. It was hard for her to imagine what they had to confront next, but she did not bother thinking about it. It was only the first day of waiting for the cannon to be repaired. They still had some time to spend with each other and she only wished the two last days would be as beautiful as this night. She started to fall asleep again, comfortably seated in the arms of her hero. At this very moment, being close to him was the only thing she truly desired, more than anything else.

Tonight he was hers, and she was his.

The Princess and her knight.


End file.
